Clamped axis-locating engine unit mounting



R. s. TROT-T-ET AL 0 2,063,640 QCLAMPED AXIS LocATI G ENGINE UNIT MOUNTING I r Filed Nov. 1a, 1933 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 1; S I "T'i I: g: 46 I I! 5 o a 47 z o v I 6 $11 N Incl Patented Dec. 8, 1936 PATENT OFFICE GLAMPED AXIS-LOC'ATING ENGINE UNIT MOUNTING Rolland S. Trott, Denver, (7010.,

and Wilbur Vincent Thelander, Rockford, 111.; said Thelander assignor to said Trott Application November 18, 1933, Serial No. 698,721

Claims.

This invention has to do with engine unit mountings by which engine units may be mounted upon their supports or frames and more especially of metallic engine unit mountings adapted to provide a certain amount of resiliently opposed transverse cushioning movement between the engine unit andits support or frame by which movement, vibration, tremor and sound are prevented from being transmitted from the engine unit to the support or frame.

Said mountings are also adapted to provide resiliently opposed torque cushioning oscillation as a supplementary cushioning movement about a longitudinal axis passing through substantially the entire length of the engine unit and substantially through the center of gravity of the engine unit and intersecting the crankshaft of the engine unit adjacent one of the mounting structures.

This invention more specifically is called the clamped, axis-locating engine unit mounting and was executed at the same time and filed at the same time as our co-pending and supplementary application which is entitled the Eyed, axis-locating engine unit mounting, Serial No. 698,720, filed November 18, 1933.

These two applications are for metallic constructions to mount an engine unit to have the proper movements so resiliently controlled as to prevent the transmission of sound or vibration to the rest of the vehicle.

This is accomplished by providing resiliently opposed movement in any direction along which the operation of the engine unit may attempt to apply a sound transmitting, or a vibration transmitting, force.

Whereas these two applications deal preferably with all-metal constructions, it has been found that in some cases under certain peculiar conditions and to effect a complete deadening of sound it may also be necessary to include at one or more points a slight amount of rubber or other insulating material.

In addition to the sound deadening and vibration dampening duties of the mounting structures covered by these two applications, they also act to resiliently oppose endwise movement of the engine unit against inertia forces when the vehicle is accelerating or decelerating and also against clutch disengaging forces.

The front and rear mounting structures may individually or collectively act to resiliently oppose torque forces incident to the engine unit.

The front mounting structure, which our experiments a d ressa s ha P d o be the more delicate of the structures, may act independently to absorb the action of the torque forces,'or it'may act as an assisting means for resiliently opposing these forces, or it may have no part whatsoever in the resilient opposition to the torque forces. I

In the last case independent torque cushioning means may beprovided in the form of a. torque spring or other proper torque transmitting means located adjacent the bell housing of the engine unit or at any other proper location, or'

the rear mounting structure may act to absorb some or the majority of the torque forces.

The front mounting in this invention, as will be seen in the figures hereinafter described, is composed of two flat metal c-springs with both ends clamped, one end to the engine unit and one end to the supporting structure.

These C-springs are so; disposed as to have the portions which are clamped to the engine unit diametrically opposite each other insofar as the axis of oscillation is concerned, whereby a line drawn approximately through the points at which they are clamped to the engine unit will intersect the axis of oscillation whether the springs be at the same level or not. In some cases it may be desirable to so position said attaching portions as to have one below the axis level and the other above the axis level, but in such a case they will be still diametrically opposed with respect to the axis of oscillation at the front of the engine unit.

Such disposal of the portions which attach to the engine unit causes the axis of oscillation to be very closely defined and firmly yet resiliently determined at this point'of the engine mounting structure.

The front mounting may also combine with the rear mounting in the resilient resistance to endwise movement of the engine unit with respect to the frame and it should permit greater transverse movement in any direction than the rear mounting and be movable under the action of smaller forces.

However, excessive movement of the front of the engine unit in any direction should be so resiliently opposed as to prevent any sound or feeling of vibration from at any time being transmitted to the frame.

The rear mounting, while being the less delicate of the mounting structures, must nevertheless be able to accommodate for the greater movements of the front end of the engine unit in cooperating with the front mounting structure. In most cases the function of resiliently restricting the endwise movement of the engine unit with respect to the frame will be dependent upon the rear mounting structure, except as in such cases referred to previously wherein the front mounting structure acts to assist the rear mounting structure in this function.

It is the object of this invention to provide front and rear metallic weight supporting mountings for an engine unit upon its support or frame whereby these mountings will not be subjected to the limitations provided by rubber or other deteriorating non-metallic materials.

A further object is to provide a method of metallically mounting an engine unit to reduce or prevent the transmission of soundand vibration to the support or frame upon which it is mounted.

A further object of this invention is to provide an engine mounting wherein the endwise position of the engine unit will be resiliently maintained while permitting a very delicate force cushioning movement of low amplitude at the front end as well as torque cushioning oscillation of small amplitude, and yet providing much increased resilient resistance to any movements of greater amplitude of the above-mentioned various forces.

' A further object of this invention is to provide a metallic engine mounting structure which will provide a construction that under any and all conditions will quite closely though resiliently preserve the positions of the higher and lower ends of the axis of oscillation, while also acting to provide resiliently opposed oscillation of the engine unit about said axis.

A further object is to provide both front and rear metallic mountings, each one of which may be used to cooperate with a non-metallic mounting structure to provide a satisfactory mounting for an engine unit.

A further object is to provide a complete mounting structure for an engine unit and which will be of low production cost and will facilitate ease of original assembly as well as disassembly for servicing.

We accomplish the above objects by providing a clamped, axis-locating engine unit mounting in which a flat leaf or other cross sectional form of metal spring is constructed and disposed to support weight and at the same time provide movement in at least two directions and constituting horizontal and vertical movements, as well as movements necessary for the oscillation of the engine unit.

All of the above is more fully described in detail hereinafter and is fully illustrated in the drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of an engine unit mounted by our clamped, axis-locating engine unit mounting method upon its frame.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the rear mounting shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 15 is a front view of Figure 1.

Figures 4-9 and 16 show variations of our front mounting construction.

Figures 10-14 and 17 show variations of the rear mounting construction.

The construction of these various figures will now be described more in detail as follows:

Figure 1 shows a mounting method for an engine unit whereby the engine unit I rests upon, and is properly attached to, the mounting springs 46 which are provided with the eyed portions 41 designed to receive pivot studs which are properly held in place in the supporting brackets 48 which rest upon and are properly secured to the front frame member 2 (see Figure 15).

The rearwardly projecting portion 5 of the engine unit (Figures 1 and 3) has provided thereon the pads 6 to be properly attached to the mounting springs l which rest upon and are properly secured to the rear frame member 3.

A pad I I is provided adjacent to the bell hous- ,ing of the engine unit to which is bolted or otherwise properly attached the torque spring III, which is resiliently secured to the side rail of the frame l, as at I2.

This resilient connection I2 may be composed of any proper attaching means, as shown and described in Figures 35, 35A and 35B of our copending companion and supplementary application known as the eyed, axis-locating engine unit mounting.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1. The front and rear mountings shown and described above cooperate in such a manner as to cause the center line drawn through the centers of action of the two structures to intersect the center of gravity at G. on the line GIG2.

The respective mountings may be so disposed as to cause the axis of oscillation to pass through the center of gravity G and yet be more nearly parallel to the center line of the crankshaft, as illustrated by the axis G2G4, or the mountings may locate the axis at an angle with the axis of the crankshaft whereby the rear mounting would be higher than the front, as illustrated by the axis G3-G6.

Figure 3 shows a rear mounting construction wherein the engine unit I has provided thereon the rearward portion 5 which is provided with the pads 5 for proper attachment of the mounting springs l by means of a bolt and a U-bolt I4.

The mounting springs I rest upon and are properly attached to the rear frame member 3. The rubber bumper 8, held in place by the bracket 9, rests upon the rear frame member 3 and resiliently yet firmly opposes excessive movement of the rear of the engine unit in a downward manner. The rubber bumper normally may take more or less engine unit weight, or none at all, as may be desired. The horizontal portions of the springs provide vertical movement of the engine unit which is limited by the rubber 8, while. the curved portions of the springs I provide resiliently opposed horizontal or transverse movement.

Figure 4 shows a front mounting construction wherein the engine unit I rests upon and is properly attached to the springs I5, which are supported by and properly secured to the brackets I7, which in turn rest upon and are secured to the front frame member 2. The attaching portions I8 of the springs I6 are so disposed as to be at the level of the axis of oscillation GI at the front of the engine unit and equidistant therefrom. The horizontal portions of the springs It provide vertical movement and the curved portions provide horizontal transverse movement.

The springs I9 are attached to the engine unit I at the level of and adjacent to the axis of oscillation G-I, and the engine unit has provided thereon a portion 20, which under operation of the forces which cause movement about the axis of oscillation providesrolling contact with the horizontal portions of the springs 19 and tends togive-a pivotal action to the engineunit at the front mounting structure. The struts 2|, which are'properly attached to the springs land the front frame member '2 tend to. stabilize the springs l9 and rigidly restrict the movement of the engineunit in transverse horizontal directions. The rolling contact ofthe portion 29 acts to control the'vertical, as well as oscillatory, movements.

"Figure 6 shows-anothenfront mounting construction wherein the engine unit I is supported upon and properly attached to-the mounting springs 22, said springs resting'upon and being properly attached to the brackets 23 which'are properly attached to the side rails of the frame l'and'to the front frame member 2.

wThe attaching portions of the springs 22 are at the level of the axis of oscillation G-l and are equally spaced therefrom transversely.

The assisting brackets 24 rest upon'the mounting springs 22 and with the springs 22 are properly secured to the supporting brackets 23. The top of the assisting bracket '24 has an arcuate portion 25 which has properly attached thereto a segment of rubber, or other sound deadening material 26, which under normal conditions is at its nearest pointjust out of contact with the mounting spring 22. Thus it will be seen that under action of the smaller forces, the resilient resistance of the springs 22 has a very low rate and the engine unit is thereby allowed to float freely and delicately- But uponthe introduction of any forces in excess of the f'o'rce's resulting from normal operation of the engine unit, whether they be vertical, horizontal or oscillatory, the horizontal'portions of the springs 22 will come increasingly into contact with the arcs of the resilient material '26 provided on the assisting brackets 24,and the active lengths of the springs being thereby decreased, the movement will be more-firmly yet resiliently opposed. The proper exact contour of the arc faces of the brackets 24 will in most cases have to be determined for best results by trial.

Figure '7' shows another form of front mountin'g construction similar'to that shown in Figure 6, but with the assisting brackets attached to the engine unit. The engine unit l rests upon and is properly attached to the mounting springs 22- and-the springs, 22-rest upon and are attached to the su'pportingbrackets 23, which is similar to the construction shown in Figure 6.

Thearcuate portions 25 and 25" are provided on brackets 24 and 24" respectively which brackets are properly secured to the engine unit and have "the resilient portions 26' properly secured thereto.

Said portions act by rolling contact to firmly yet resiliently and noiselessly and progressively restrict the action of the engine unit beyond its normal limits, in both vertical and oscillatorymovements. r

Figure'8 shows another form of :front mounting construction, wherein the engine unit I rests upon and is properly attached to the mounting springs 21 which have a three-quarters loop and are attached to the vertical supporting member 28, which rests upon and is properly secured to the front frame member 2. The attaching portions of'the springs 21, which are secured to the engine unit, are at the level of and equally spaced from theaxis of oscillation Gl. The bracing struts 29 are properly secured tothe vertical supporting portion 28 and the front frame member 2 in such a manner as to strengthen and rigidly support the portion 28 against the action of horizontal transverse forces.

The three-quarters wrap or loop of the springs 21 provides an added flexibility or resilience for both horizontal, vertical and oscillatory movements.

Figure 9'shows another form of front mounting construction whereby the engine unit l is supported upon and properly attached to the mounting springs l9 which test directly upon and are properly attached to the front frame member 2. The attaching portions of the springs l9 are at thelevel of the axis of oscillation G--l and equidistant therefrom. The braces 30 are attached to the springs l9 and to the frame side rails 4 and act in such a manner as to stabilize the spring structures against the action of horizontal transverse forces.

The horizontal portions of the springs l 9' provide resiliently opposed vertical and oscillatory movements and the vertical portions provide horizontal movement. I

Figure 10 shows a rear mounting construction wherein the rearwardly projecting portion 5 of the engine unit I is received in the bush ing 3|, which is made of rubber or any other proper material, and which rests in the large eye 33 of the spring 32, said spring being properly attached to the rear frame member 3. The spring 32 has the supporting and brace portion 34, which is properly attached thereto by means of the clip 35 and by the bolts used for the attachment of the spring 32 to the rear frame member 3. This type of rear mounting construction, through the action of the rubber member 3], permits the desired pivotal action of the mounting, while resilient opposition to the vertical and transverse forces is provided by means of the curvedmounting spring 32.

Figures 11 and 12 show a rear mounting construction wherein the rear of the engine unit I has provided thereon the curved pad 36, which rests upon the rubber portion 31, which is received by the cradle 38 and which in turn rests upon and is properly attached to the parallelended c-springs 39.

The C-springs 39 rest upon, and are properiy. attached to, the rear frame member 3' and they lie parallel to the center line of the crankshaft. The rubber portion 31 forms around the ends of the curved portion 36 and is properly held in place by the clips 40 which are bolted securely in place at the point of attachment of the cradle 38 tothe mounting springs 39.

The attaching portion of the spring 39 to the cradle 38 is at the level of the center of oscillation and the center of the crankshaft G2. This type of rear mounting construction provides pivotal movement about the center of oscillation in a lesser degree, through the rubber portion '31, and in a greater degree through the mounting springs 39. And both rubber and springs combine to provide resiliently opposed transverse movements combined with resilientlyopposed oscillatory movements.

Figure '13 shows a rear mounting construction wherein the rearwardly projecting portion of the engine unithas provided thereon the boss 40 which properly mounts the stud 4i and the stud is properly fitted and received-in the eye of the mounting spring 42, which rests upon and is properly attached to the rear frame member 3., The vertical supporting'portion 431is riveted or otherwise attached to the spring 42, and they are both bolted to the rear frame member 3 in such a manner as to act as a proper support for the spring 42, whereby the mounting may provide proper resilient opposition to both horizontal and vertical forces.

Figure 14 shows another form of rear mounting construction wherein the rearwardly projecting porton a has provided thereon the pads 44 which are properly attached to the mountingsprings 21' at the level of the axis of oscillation (Er-2 and on a level with the center of the crankshaft. 1

The mounting springs 21' have a three-quarters loop and are properly secured to the vertical support brackets 45, which rest upon and are properly attached to the rear frame member 3.

It will be seen by comparison of Figure 14 with Figure 8 that the mounting springs 21' are very similar to the mounting springs 21 and therefore the resulting action would be of a similar nature, and as a result of our experience the natural conclusion would be that the loop of the springs 21 should be of a smaller radius than that of the springs 21 so as to more rigidly oppose the action of the forces in all directions. The bumper 49 which is constructed of rubber, or any other proper material, is held in place by the flanges of the brackets 45 and by the tongues 50 provided thereon and the bumper acts against the portion 5a of the engine unit and resiliently yet firmly opposes excessive movement of the rear of the engine unit in a downward manner.

Figure 15 shows another form of front mounting construction similar to that shown in Figure 8, the variation being in the provision of an eyed portion on the springs 45 in place of a clamping portion for attachment to the supporting structure.

The springs 46 are properly attached to the engine unit I at the level of the axis of oscillation G--l and equidistant therefrom, and the eyed portions 41 are pivotally mounted on studs carried by the supporting brackets 48 which are properly attached to the front frame member 3.

This construction is similar in a sense to Figure of the eyed axis-locating engine unit mounting, except that the clamped portions of the springs are at the level of the axis of oscillation instead of the eyed portions of the springs being at this level.

Any form of front mounting construction shown and described in this application may be used with any proper form of rear mounting construction as shown and described in the eyed axislocating engine unit mounting application and with the introduction of any separate, proper and independent torque cushioning means if so desired; and any rear mounting construction, as set forth in this application, may be used in conjunction with any proper form of front mounting construction as shown and set forth in the co-pending eyed axis-locating engine unit mounting application.

Figure 16 shows a front mounting construction wherein the engine unit I is supported by the mounting springs 5| which are bolted or otherwise properly attached to the engine unit such that the attaching portions are substantially at the level of the axis of oscillation, said springs being formed to a one and one quarterwrap, and the vertical support brackets 5| and 52 being properly secured to the front frame member 2 and the mounting springs 5 I.

Figure 17 shows a rear mounting construction wherein the engine unit has the rearwardly projecting portion 5" and which has provided thereon the boss 40 in which is mounted the pivot stud 4| which is received in the eye of the mounting spring 53. The mounting spring forms around the rearwardly projecting portion 5" and rests upon the spacer pad 55. The supporting leaf 54, the spring 53 and the pad 55 are all properly attached to the rear frame member 3. The support leaf 54 is secured to the mounting spring 53 by the clip 56.

In any of these various constructions or modifications of any of them, if the rear end of the axis of oscillation is not substantially coincident with the axis of the engine unit crankshaft adjacent the rear mounting, then in arriving at the position of the center of gravity of the engine unit so as to properly locate the position of the front mounting to cause the axis of oscillation to pass through the center of gravity, the universal joint and the front portion of the propeller shaft of the vehicle should have their weights added to that of the engine unit proper. The reason for this is that if the universal joint and front end of the propeller shaft are to be offcenter so that they will have actual displacement as the engine unit oscillates, then the weights of these added oscillating parts should be considered and the center of gravity obtained for all the mass which oscillates.

It will be understood that either a high or a low front mounting may be similar to any rear mounting shown when at the same height; and either a high or a low rear mounting may be similar to any front mounting shown when at the same height. 1

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A mounting for an engine unit having a tendency of torque cushioning oscillation about a longitudinal axis during operation, comprising one or more leaf-springs adapted to be secured to an end portion of the engine unit in position for locating the axis of oscillation thereof, and a bracket having rolling contact with an intermediate portion of said leaf-spring for progressively altering the effective length of the leaf-spring as it flexes.

2. A mounting for an engine unit having a tendency of torque cushioning oscillation about a longitudinal axis during operation, comprising one or more leaf-springs adapted to be clamped to an end portion of the engine unit in position for locating the axis of oscillation thereof between the clamped portions of the leaf-springs, and one or more brackets each having a curved surface in position to contact with an intermediate portion of said leaf-spring or leafsprings for progressively altering the effective length of the leaf-spring or leaf-springs during flexure thereof.

3. A mounting for an engine unit having a tendency of torque cushioning oscillation about a longitudinal axis during operation, comprising one or more leaf-springs adapted to be clamped to an end portion of the engine unit in position for locating the axis of oscillation thereof between the clamped portions of the leafsprings, one or more brackets each having a curved surface in position to contact with an intermediate portion of said leaf-spring or leaf-springs progressively altering the effective length of the leaf-spring or leaf-springs during flexure thereof, and a strip of resilient material secured to the curved surface of each bracket.

4. In a motor vehicle having a frame, the combination of an engine unit, and at least two longitudinally spaced resilient mounting structures supported by the vehicle and supporting the engine unit for resiliently opposed oscillatory movement about a longitudinal axis extending through the center of mass of the engine unit and intersecting the crankshaft axis adjacent the rear end of the engine unit, the mounting structure adjacent the front end of the engine unit comprising a pair of metallic leaf-springs each having one end fixed to the frame and having the other end fixed to the engine unit approximately at the height of the axis of oscillation.

5. In a motor vehicle having a frame, the combinationof an engine unit, and at least two longitudinally spaced resilient mounting structures supported by the vehicle and supporting the engine unit for resiliently opposed oscillatory movement about a longitudinal axis extending through the center of mass of the engine unit and intersecting the crankshaft axis adjacent the rear end of the engine unit, the mounting structure adjacent the front end of the engine unit comprising a pair of metallic leafsprings each having one end fixed to the frame and having the other end fixed to the engine unit approximately at the height of the axis of oscillation, and brackets having rolling contact with intermediate portions of said leafsprings for progressively altering the effective 15 length of the leaf-spring as it flexes.

HOLLAND S. TROTT. W. VINCENT THELANDER. 

